CTS-V is a high-end hooligan
Cadillac’s CTS-V is a mild-mannered monster, a Clark Kent car that transforms instantly from milquetoast sedan to highhorsepower track master.
Moderately styled inside and out but massive under the hood, the CTS-V represents Cadillac’s ambition to build the perfect all-around performance car — or what the company calls “the ultimate sports sedan.”
“This is a car for someone who wants a car that can do everything,” said Tony Roma, chief engineer for Cadillac’s ATS, CTS and Vseries family. “They don’t want a fleet full of sports cars and luxury cars.”
Cadillac has stuffed the CTS-V with sports car and luxury car appointments.
The four-door, five-passenger sedan is propelled by a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine, jointly designed by engineers from Cadillac and its GM sibling Corvette, that makes 640 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque.
The CTS-V engineers said they were trying for the throttle response of a Ferrari 458 and an engine growl that “barked with a special signature,” helped in part by the quad exhaust system.
Check off that box. The rear-wheel-drive CTS-V is a rubber-burning, tail-wagging hooligan car.
The eight-speed transmission comes with a track mode and a launch control function. (The daily driver modes are Touring and Sport.) The 19-inch wheels are clad in performance tires. A front splitter and rear spoiler come standard.
Together, those elements allow this refined rocket to jet from zero to 60 miles per hour in a claimed 3.7 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 200 mph.
Brembo brake calipers bring the vehicle back to earth. A magnetic ride control suspension system keeps it stable. A head-up display keeps the driver’s eyes on the road and the magnesium paddle shifters allow for a pleasantly engaged driving experience.
Of course, not all buyers will be ready to take advantage of the power, speed and handling of the CTS-V. So, Cadillac has thoughtfully included in the price of the car two days of “performance training” at a race track.
Inside, the CTS-V is private club comfortable. The snug seats are leather, and heated, and ventilated, and highly adjustable. The Bose surround-sound stereo is plush. The infotainment console is easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye. The usual configuration of cup holders, device plug-ins and storage compartments completes the daily driver cabin.
The rear seats are not as sumptuous, but three adults could fit comfortably there. The comforts afforded them are limited, though: There are no back seat device plugins, nor does that space have its own climate control. The fold-down central armrest contains a cup holder, though that’s of no use if there’s a passenger in the middle seat.
There’s more space, though, behind the seats. The trunk on the CTS-V is roomy enough to hold a track weekend’s worth of gear, or several golf bags. Also, the rear seats fold flat, opening the trunk space considerably. Cadillac devotes no storage area to a spare tire. The CTS-V comes standard with a tire sealant and inflator kit instead.
The model I drove was laden with a few extras. Among them were a $6,950 carbon fiber package that included the front splitter, rear diffuser and spoiler, as well as special “after midnight” dark alloy wheels, high performance seats from Recaro, and a “performance data recorder” that would have allowed me to make a record of my lap times and top speeds — had I gone to the track or done anything to brag about.
The purchase price also includes a $1,000 gas guzzler tax, reflective of the 17-mileper-gallon combined fuel economy that Cadillac claims is possible in the CTS-V. That was not my experience, and won’t be for anyone who buys the car in order to actually enjoy it in ways it is intended.
Cadillac doesn’t sell a lot of CTS-Vs. Fewer than 10% of the 15,911 CTS sedans sold in the U.S. last year were the high-performance V-variants, and domestic sales of all CTS models are down for 2017. But the brand is having a good year overall. Cadillac reported this week that year-to-date sales were down 4% in the U.S. but up 20% globally.
Despite the low numbers, the average CTS-V buyer, Cadillac research shows, is a coveted one: upscale, young and male. (Roma said the car was tested with female drivers wearing a variety of shoe styles to make sure that performance wasn’t limited to males or race-ready women wearing only flats.)
Matt Russell, marketing manager for the ATS, CTS and V-series cars, said that in the “ultimate sport sedan” niche, the CTS-V outsells the Audi Sport RS7, BMW M5 and MercedesBenz AMG E63.
The CTS-V also starts at $10,000 to $25,000 below those competitors.